Saturday he will both cue the SSO and integrate the keyboard boom of the Wideman Piano Competition winner, Konstantyn Travinskyy.

Travinskyy is a Kievan who has won a googol of medals in recent European as well as American piano competitions. Winning the Wideman means outdoing the world's best young international crew.

Curry is a Philadelphian who has conducted the Baltimore, the St. Paul and New Orleans orchestras before taking his North Carolina position. From Jerusalem to Taipei to LA, he has not stinted on guest conductorships.

Thus Saturday's concert by the SSO will crackle with creative tension. How many agendas are allowed in the symphony hall at any one time? For the audience will have its say, too, in the evaluation of the conductors in the SSO search.

Saturday's concert will begin at 7:30 pm in the Civic Theater. Tickets? 227--8863. Parking? I recommend the shuttle from AmSouth Bank, corner of Milam and Market. It's complimentary and runs every 10 minutes after 5:30 pm.